Jamie Foxx has done it again. White House Down, an action film from 2013, is now the most popular movie on Netflix. And if you’ve confused White House Down with Olympus Has Fallen, another action flick from 2013, then it’s an easy mistake to make because both films essentially have the same premise. Terrorists have made a brazen attack on the White House, and only an unexpected hero can rise to save the President and the nation itself.
White House Down is far from a perfect movie, but there are at least three reasons why it’s great popcorn entertainment, and why it has earned its place at the top of Netflix‘s movie chart. Now, we’re going to tell you why you should watch White House Down so you can discover its charms for yourself.
Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx give compelling performances
White House Down is very dependent on its two leads, Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, to make the audience buy into the idea that a Capital policeman, John Cale (Tatum), can rise against all odds and put his life on the line to protect President James Sawyer (Foxx). Tatum and Foxx have natural charisma, and that allows them to seem genuine even when the script sometimes lets them down with less-than-stellar dialogue.
The rest of the supporting cast is also pretty strong, including Jason Clarke, The Dark Knight‘s Maggie Gyllenhaal, Richard Jenkins, and a young Joey King as Cale’s daughter, Emily. But James Woods deserves a special shout-out for his role as Martin Walker, a guy who is so despicable that the movie delivers one of its best moments when he gets what’s coming to him.
Action from the man behind Independence Day
Director Roland Emmerich has made his name in action-adventure films like Independence Day and Stargate, as well as big-budget disaster flicks like The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, and Moonfall. And Emmerich really seems to love blowing up things around the White House, and sometimes blowing up the White House itself as was the case in ID4.
If you’re coming to White House Down strictly for the action, then you won’t be disappointed. There’s more than enough spectacle to keep viewers entertained, and once the terrorists begin their initial attack, it’s never too long before someone is shooting or blowing something up. Compared to Emmerich’s other films, he’s almost restrained here. Almost.
It’s an unintentional comedic masterpiece
It’s important to note that White House Down is not a comedy, and whenever it tries to be funny, it often falls flat on its face. But there are times when the movie is absolutely hilarious simply by asking viewers to accept some of the most over-the-top scenes, including President Sawyer using a rocket launcher (second picture above) or Emily’s flag-waving scene (pictured directly above). Within the movie, these appear to be played straight as moments that the audience is supposed to erupt in applause. Instead, laughter is the only plausible response.
These bursts of unintentional comedy go a long way toward making White House Down more enjoyable. There’s an art to bad comedy just like there’s an art for making good comedy. White House Down is far from a great film, but embracing its ludicrous parts makes it a fun viewing experience.
White House Down is now streaming on Netflix.
